219 



Edible Products 



gradually declined to Is. Ofe?. per lb. in 1904. It is generally admitted that this 

 state of affairs has arisen in consequence of foreign markets having been flooded 

 with an imperfectly cured and sometimes fraudulently packed article forwarded 

 hence by Chinese shopkeepers 'who have procured the green beans from native 

 growers and prepared them with insufficient skill and with undue haste for 

 shipment. However this may be, it is true that the export of Tahitian vanilla 

 in 1902 amounted to 144j tons, valued at £47,417, and that in 1904 it had decreased 

 to 134i tons, of the value of £15,969, a difference in the space of two years of 

 10J tons in weight and of £31.448 in value. Recently some new vines from Mexico 

 have been introduced into Tahiti, which may in time replace those at present in 

 use. — British Consular Report. 



Thk Analysis of Vanilla.— Balland ("Pharm. Central," 1905, 688) gives the 

 following figures for three samples of vanilla from different countries : — 



1. 2. 3. 



per cent. per cent. per cent. 



Water ... ... 19.80 ... 20.70 ... 13.70 



Ash ... ... 2.85 ... 3.20 ... 4.70 



Fat ... ... 10.00 ... 14 70 ... 11.30 



Sugar ... ... 14.20 ... 17.80 ... 18.50 



Ether Extract ... 30.41 ... 17.66 ... 38 64 



Fibrous matter ... 16.90 ... 20.20 ... 8.20 



Nitrogen matter ... 5.94 ... 5.74 ... 4.96 



The ether extract consists of vanillin and waxy and fatty bodies. 



BRICK TEA FOR TIBET. 



Manufacture and Preparation. 



The following paper by Mr. J. Hutchinson is published in the proceedings of 

 the Assam Branch, Indian Tea Association: — 



The following summary has been prepared at the suggestion of the Tea Cess 

 Committee as a temporary guide towards the preparation of tea for Tibet, for those 

 who may desire to make experiments in this line pending the publication of the full 

 report which may not be ready to enable such experiments to be begun this season. 

 It would, however, be very unwise to place any raw. strong Assam Jat of tea on the 

 market at present, as this would only confirm the prejudice against all Indian tea 

 which prevails in Tibet. Old mature but not necessarily hard leaf from Hybrid or 

 China Jat would be most suitable, and any coarse quality leaf from the assortment 

 carried on during ordinary manufacture may be reserved for future use in brick- 

 making with whatever clean dust and fluff there may be on hand. 



The following four qualities of bricks may be taken as a standard of 

 manufacture :— 



(1.) China or Gin Jien. gold pointed or tapering, new season's early young 

 leaf. Two leaves and bud, top two leaves of run-out shoots, some soft leaves that 

 have taken twist during panning and partial rolling. 



(2 ) Ginsu, gold gem, second quality.— New season's leaf, mostly top leaves of 

 run-out shoots down to red wood, partially twisted, some stalks. Pekoe Souchong 

 and Souchong kind. 



(3.) Gin Tsang, Gold Granary or Bin, third quality.— New season's coarse leaf 

 from Lt d wood with many stalks and some twigs. Some of previous season's leaf is 

 occasionally mixed with this. Chopped up into 1 inch and 1A inch lengths. 



